The technical scope of the present invention is that of feed devices for a weapon.
To feed a large or medium caliber weapon (for example 100 to 155 mm), it is well known to use either manual loading using a tray and in which case it is possible for single rounds or two-stage rounds (projectile and modular charges) to be loaded, or automatic means allowing only single rounds to be extracted from a magazine. However, when the weapon is in a confined or isolated place, such as on a ship for example, the handling of modular charges and projectiles using conventional means is not conceivable. Indeed, on the one hand the projectile""s mass is substantial exceeding the capacities of an operator, and on the other the pyrotechnic risk is unacceptably high since an incident could lead to the destruction of the assembly and thus the potential loss of a ship.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an automatic loading device for a large or medium caliber weapon mounted in an isolated structure such as a ship and ensuring a high level of safety.
The invention thus relates to a loading device for a medium or large caliber weapon supplied with rounds formed of a projectile and modular charges, wherein it comprises means to receive a projectile and the modular charges, a vehicle incorporating at least two housings, and suitable support means to allow the vehicle to move from an initial replenishing position to a final weapon loading position in which the projectile housing then the modular charge housing are brought successively into said position.
Advantageously, the support means are constituted by a cage having two sides between which the vehicle travels.
Advantageously again, the projectile and modular charge reception means are constituted by a container in the shape of a tubular element fitted with retention means for the projectile and the modular charges.
According to one embodiment, the vehicle is constituted by a slide and a drum in the shape of a substantially parallelepipedic part having housings at its parallel edges intended to each receive a container and the drum can incorporate four housings arranged according to four parallel edges.
The cage delimits the arc of a circle centered on the weapon""s trunnion shaft and it comprises a race arranged on each side in which the slide is mounted by means of rollers.
According to another embodiment, the vehicle drum is mounted able to rotate with respect to the slide.
According to yet another embodiment, the vehicle is able to move with respect to the cage by means of a motor integral with the slide meshing with a rack integral with the cage.
The vehicle may support means to introduce the projectile then the charges into the weapon chamber.
The introduction means are represented by a thrustor acting on the projectile and a rammer acting on the modular charges.
The drum incorporates means to lock the containers.
According to yet another embodiment, the transfer means are integral with the turret to firstly transfer the empty containers into a space arranged nearby and secondly to pick up full containers of projectiles and modular charges from this space.
A first advantage of the device according to the invention lies in the high level of safety obtained since the projectiles and the modular charges are never handled. Indeed, during all the handling phases between the projectile and modular charge storage space and their loading into the weapon it is a protection element constituted by the container that withstands all the constraints.
A second advantage lies in the compactness of the loading device which is placed very close to the weapon and which may be integrated into a turret without any major modifications to said turret.
Another advantage lies in the fact that the loading device ensures the process may be reversed in the event of an incident.